Unit 1 Representation Exam Revision

1. 1
Unit 1
Guided
Unit 1: Media Representations
Your exam
Unit 1 will be assessed through an exam, which will be set by Pearson. You will need to use your
understanding of how different media representations are constructed by media producers to create
meaning, messages and values. You then respond to questions that require short and long answers.
Your RevisionWorkbook
This Workbook is designed to revise skills that might be needed in your exam. The selected content,
outcomes, questions and answers are provided to help you to revise content and ways of applying your skills.
Ask your tutor or check the Pearson website for the most up-to-date Sample Assessment Material to get
an indication of the structure of your exam and what this requires of you. The details of the actual exam may
change so always make sure you are up to date.
To support your revision, this Workbook contains two sets of revision questions to help you revise the skills
that might be needed in your exam. The first revision test helps consolidate your knowledge and skills in
analysing a range of features in different media types. The second revision test gives you questions on a
single clip to allow you to practise writing the types of answers required for your assessment.
Your exam questions
There is guidance in this Workbook for the skills involved in answering the following types of questions.
• Give
• Identify
• Explain
• Compare
• Analyse
• Assess
• Evaluate
• To what extent
To help you revise skills that might be needed in your Unit 1 exam, this Workbook contains two
sets of revision questions starting on pages 2 and 12. The first is guided and models good
techniques, to help you develop your skills. The second gives you the opportunity to apply the skills you have
developed. See the Introduction on page iii for more information on features included to help you revise.
Links

2. 2
Unit 1
Guided
1 Look at the following print
advertisement for laundry conditioner.
(a) Explain one example of how colour
is used to create meaning in this
advertisement.
The mother and child are wrapped in a
red and gold blanket. These are both
colours that create a sense of
.
This implies that using
will also create these feelings.
Guided
2 marks
Explain questions require you to show your
knowledge and understanding of the topic
by giving reasons and examples to support
your answer. The question will tell you how
many examples of the feature you must
explain.
See pages 18 and 20 of the Revision Guide
for information about how colour creates
meaning in media representations.
Links
Revision test 1
Answer ALL questions. Write your answers in the spaces provided.
To support your revision, this Workbook contains revision tests to help you revise the skills that might be
needed in your exam. The details of the actual exam may change so always make sure you are up to date. Ask
your tutor or check the Pearson website for the most up-to-date Sample Assessment Material to get an idea
of the structure of your exam and what this requires of you.
(b) Explain one example of how typeface is used to create meaning in this advertisement.
The text in the centre of the advertisement uses a font.
The irregular letters give the impression that the text has been written by
.
The contrast with in other parts of the
advertisement attracts our interest and encourages .
See page 29 of the Revision Guide for information about how typefaces and fonts create
meaning in page layouts.Links
2 marks

3. 3
Unit 1
Guided
(c) Identify four conventions of visual advertising that are present in this example.
1 Brand logo and
2
3
4 Reliance on symbols and .
See page 3 of the Revision Guide for information about typical conventions of visual
advertisements.Links
(d) Analyse how page layout is used to make an emotional impact on the viewer of this
advertisement.
Page layout should follow certain conventions so
that readers are able to identify the most
elements of the
page, which order to look at them and how
to take action. The design must follow a
visual hierarchy so that the reader can
.
In this advertisement, the eye is drawn to the large photo, which dominates the page. This image
shows
, and is larger than
the photo of the product itself in the bottom right-hand corner. This emphasises
.
The rule of thirds is demonstrated by
.
The child-like handwriting font has the affect of
See page 29 of the Revision Guide for information about how page layout and composition
create meaning.Links
4 marks
6 marks
Remember that all advertisements are
intended to persuade the target audience
to do something, in this case to buy a
particular product. The conventions of visual
advertising are included for this purpose.
Analyse questions require you to break
something into parts by considering media
representations methodically and in detail. This
will help you to interpret the interrelationships
between the media text, its context, audience
and potential meaning.

4. 4
Unit 1
Guided
(e) Evaluate the ways in which this advertisement is targeting mothers as the audience for
the product.
The advertisement features a large photo of
,
which we assume represents
.
They are
.
This implies that ,
. The target audience for this advert is
. This has been
chosen because ,
. The main text reads: ‘It’s more than a blanket; it’s my secret
power to make her smile’. This anchorage reinforces the message that
. The absence of male figures from the scene suggests that
.
Similarly, the selective representation of a mother and child sharing an intimate moment is likely to
appeal most to .
Total for Question 1 = 20 marks
6 marks
Evaluate questions require you to demonstrate
your ability to fulfil the learning outcome: ‘Apply
knowledge and understanding of media concepts,
semiotics, theories and formal techniques to
constructed representations’. The answer provided
here uses key terms, such as ‘anchorage’, ‘absence’
and ‘selective representation’, to show the ability
to apply knowledge to the question.

5. 5
Unit 1
Guided
2 Watch the advertisement for Cobra beer, available by scanning the QR code or entering the URL in your
browser.
(a) Explain one example of how intertextuality is used in this advertisement.
One example of intertextuality is the references to
James Bond films, for example
See page 12 of the Revision Guide for more information about active viewing and
intertextuality.Links
(b) Identify how costume and figure expression combine to represent ‘the boss’.
‘The boss’ is always seen wearing clothes – the first shot of him focuses
on his designer leather ; he pays enough attention to detail to include a
handkerchief in his breast pocket; and later he wears . This positions him
as rich and careful about the impression his appearance has on others. He makes eye contact with
, suggesting he is .
Costume and figure expression are part of the mise-en-scène. See page 27 of the Revision
Guide for more about this aspect of representation.Links
(c) Explain how ‘the boss’ is portrayed as
conforming to a representation of
stereotypical masculinity.
Mulvey’s theory of
states that men are often portrayed as
, all of which ‘the boss’ is shown to be. He is an ‘alpha male’, so both men and
women do as he asks, and he has control over the manufacturing of both a traditionally masculine
product ( ) and a sexualised feminine product ( ).
He is, to some extent, objectified as the man living the ultimate male dream.
Guided
Watch the
clip here
http://activetea.
ch/2mmjDDc
2 marks
Intertextuality depends on the audience
actively making connections to other media.
Some media products refer directly to each
other, in this case with the strong references
to James Bond films. The audience creates
meaning by being aware of these references
(or not).
4 marks
6 marks
Stereotypes are a way of quickly conveying
information about a group or character so that the
audience makes assumptions about the person being
represented. This question asks you to explain how
a stereotype is constructed in this advertisement. It
is useful to refer to the main theorists and key terms
(such as ‘objectified’) in a question like this.

6. 6
Unit 1
Guided
Revise Richard Dyer’s theory of stereotyping on page 8 of the Revision Guide, and Laura
Mulvey’s theory of audience positioning on page 9.Links
(d) ‘This advertisement encourages oppositional readings.’ To what extent do you agree with this
statement?
When a question asks to what extent, you need to give clear details and evidence to support your opinion.
In an oppositional reading, the decoder may
.
In this advertisement, the preferred meaning at first seems to be
that the audience should aspire to
.
An oppositional reading may be that the viewer doesn’t agree
that
.
Although the advertisement can be taken at face value, as
portraying , it is also open to
oppositional readings. It can be viewed as a pastiche of portrayals
of men, such as James Bond, and is
clearly intended to be humorous. When ‘the boss’ winks at the end, we are led to question our
previous assumptions and consider whether
.
Revise audience decoding and reading on page 11 of the Revision Guide.
Links
Total for Question 2 = 20 marks
8 marks
Add your own thoughts
about whether the
advertisement encourages
oppositional readings.
Remember to state your
opinion about whether you
agree with the statement.
Give some examples of
oppositional readings in the
context of the media text.
Start by demonstrating that
you understand the term
‘oppositional reading’. Then
apply it to the media text
being analysed.

7. 7
Unit 1
Guided
3 Watch the following advertisement for Greene King IPA, available by scanning the QR code or entering
the URL in your browser.
(a) Identify the lighting technique used in the first shot.
(b) Explain why this lighting technique has been used.
lighting gives a
three-dimensional appearance and adds drama. This striking opening
shot engages the viewer’s attention at once. The black and white
of the man’s face highlights his
on what is revealed in the next shot to be a barrel.
See page 19 of the Revision Guide for more information about how different lighting
techniques create meaning.Links
(c) Identify one example of non-diegetic sound in the advertisement.
(d) Explain how the representation of the pub is established through sound and lighting.
The pub is represented as welcoming and relaxed, where people go to have a good time. This is
established through both and
.
The music is initially muffled while the man is in the cellar but, as he
, it becomes clear, drawing the viewer
into the pub’s atmosphere. The lighting in the pub is , with a
yellow tinge, reinforcing the relaxed, warm feel of the bar. Most of the customers are
and in semi-shadow, helping to create a sense of intimacy.
You could make several points about the sound and lighting but remember to include the correct
terminology (e.g. ‘diegetic’, ‘non-diegetic’, ‘backlit’) to show you know and understand them.
Watch the
clip here
http://activetea.
ch/2mJHJdW
1 mark
Guided 3 marks
There may not be a
single ‘right’ answer to
many questions, you just
need to make sure that
your interpretation is
appropriate to the context.
1 mark
Examples of non-diegetic sound are musical
soundtracks, voiceovers and dramatic sound effects.
Guided 5 marks
Identify questions require
you to use your knowledge
to select the relevant
information from the
stimulus material.

8. 8
Unit 1
Guided
Revise creating representations via sound on pages 23 and 24 of the Revision Guide, and
representations via lighting on page 19.Links
(e) Compare the representation of the man in this advertisement with that of ‘the boss’ in the Cobra
advertisement (Question 2).
Neither man speaks; however, we get a clear
idea of their characters. ‘The boss’ is
.
.
We assume that the man in the Greene King ad is also a boss, perhaps the landlord of the pub,
but, unlike ‘the boss’ in the Cobra ad, his position is implied by
.
Unlike the Cobra boss, whose costume of expensive suits implies he is
the Greene King boss is dressed similarly to those around
him, suggesting .
Both men seem to take special care of the products they are in charge of – the Cobra boss
directs the detailed production of and
, while the Greene King boss personally prepares
he is about to serve.
You could go on to talk about the possible meanings of the men being represented as loners, their attitude
towards the activities around them, and their comparative levels of contentment. It might be argued that,
although at first they seem very different, there are several similarities between the two men. Continue the
answer with three or four more relevant points.
Total for Question 3 = 20 marks
Guided
10 marks
Although neither man has any dialogue, you can
gain a fairly clear impression of what they are
like from the mise-en-scène – by looking at their
costume, the props they use, how they interact
with others and their figure expression. Consider
what assumptions you are expected to make
about their social class and attitude.

9. 9
Unit 1
Guided
4 Watch the following film clip, a trailer for the film Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008), available by
scanning the QR code or entering the URL in your browser.
(a) Explain one example of how colour is used to create meaning in the shots set in
the apartment.
The dominant colour in the apartment
scenes is .
The walls, decorations and other props are
, as are
Delysia’s dressing gown and hair. This
colour implies
.
In contrast Miss Pettigrew’s clothing and .
This suggests .
You can revise the meanings created by colour choices on pages 18 and 20 of the Revision
Guide.Links
(b) Explain how props and figure expression have been combined to represent Miss Pettigrew in the
first minute of the trailer.
The first shots of Miss Pettigrew suggest
she is
. Her figure expression
is downcast – she looks
and walks with her
head . Her costume
is
and she appears to be wearing no make-up. This implies
. This is reinforced by the contrast with
. Miss Pettigrew displays a shocked, disapproving expression several
times while in Delysia’s apartment, suggesting she is
. However, she can also be rebellious, for example by
.
Watch the
clip here
http://activetea.
ch/2mmC8HO
Guided
2 marks
• You can write about any relevant aspect of the mise-
en-scène, for example, location, props or costume.
Identify the dominant colour and consider why this
colour was chosen. What is its significance in relation
to other colours, for example, the brown of Miss
Pettigrew’s coat?
• Remember to note the number of marks that will be
given for each question. This will give you a clue as to
how long to spend on each one.
Guided
3 marks
• This question offers a lot of scope for covering
different aspects of the mise-en-scène, and there is no
one right answer; however you should focus on props
(which can include costume) and figure expression.
• You might find it useful to watch the opening minute
with the sound turned off, so that you are not
distracted by the voiceover or other aspects of the
soundtrack. You can make a lot of assumptions about
Miss Pettigrew through visual clues alone.

10. 10
Unit 1
Guided
See page 27 of the Revision Guide for more information about the meanings and
representations created by the mise-en-scène.Links
(c) Identify the camera position shown in this still.
You should be able to identify a number of different camera positions and shots, which you
can revise on page 16 of the Revision Guide.Links
(d) Explain why this shot has been used.
It is used to show
and draws the audience into
.
It can also provide extra information about what
is happening by
.
(e) Identify the genre of Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.
There may be more than one right answer but you must decide on one and be able to give convincing
reasons for your choice in (f) below.
(f) Explain three conventions shown in the trailer that fulfil this genre.
1.
2.
3.
Choose the three most obvious conventions you can identify. Use specific examples from the trailer to back
up your answers.
You can revise genre expectations and subversion on page 14 of the Revision Guide.
Links
1 mark
Guided 2 marks
The angle and height of the camera can
communicate a lot of information to the audience
about characters, setting and narrative. Particular
shots will have been chosen for a reason so
consider this in both general terms – what a shot
like this communicates – and how it specifically
applies to the example.
1 mark
3 marks